? The government plans “to release newly declassified documents as early as this week about the National Security Agency surveillance programs . . . and also material related to a secret intelligence court”. NSA director Keith Alexander now says, “I think the more we can give to the American people, the better. We always have to balance security . . . ” and blahblahblah. Amazing what a little sunlight can do.

? Director of National Intelligence James Clapper has ok’d releasing “telephone metadata that were collected under the authority of the PATRIOT Act”. Interesting letters from Clapper to the Select Committee on Intelligence at the link.

? Today’s Senate Intelligence Committee hearing became quite the donnybrook. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and others criticized DNI James Clapper for lying to them and NSA Director Keith Alexander for “overstatement”. DiFi defended both. “Robert Litt, the top lawyer for the US intelligence community” said they’re ok with “re-evaluating this program in ways that creates [sic] public confidence and trust”, whatever that means. Clapper didn’t show, sending a deputy instead. Live updates.